Brilliant Ideas Episode #26: Marina Abramović Performance artist awakening viewers with her body
Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#26:�MarinaAbramovićPerformance�artist�awakening�viewers�with�her�body
Born�to�the�parents�who�became�national�heroes�as�communists�in
Yugoslavia�after�World�War�II,�Marina�Abramović�confesses�that�her
childhood�was�very�unhappy.�Affected�by�military�discipline�of�her�strict
Communicating�with�the�world�through�art,�Abramović�is�known�for
presenting�fierce�performances�using�her�body�as�a�medium.�Through
actions�that�require�great�willpower,�she�surpasses�the�physical�limitations
and�contemplates�her�inner�world.�Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#26�features
Pioneer�of�performance�art
mother,�she�could�not�be�completely�free�even�after�being�an�adult.�She
chose�art�as�her�hideout�from�daily�life.
Marina�Abramović,�a�first-generation�performance�artist�who�is�called�a
pioneer�of�the�21st-century’s�performance�art,�presented�by�Bloomberg�and
Hyundai�Motor.
Abramović�presents�extreme�situations�with�her�entire�body�through�her
performances.�By�presenting�performances�of�inflicting�pain�and�scars�on�her
body,�the�artist�shows�that�human�can�surpass�mental�limitations,�covering
subjects�such�as�death,�fear,�and�pain.�This�is�from�the�influence�of�her
communist�parents�and�her�grandmother,�who�were�absorbed�in�religion.�“So
everything�in�my�childhood�is�about�total�sacrifice,�whether�to�religion�or�to
communism.�[…]�This�is�why�I�have�this�insane�willpower”�she�says.�
The�‘Rhythm’�series�conducted�from�1973�to�1974�is�the�first�work�where
Abramović�started�in�full�scale�to�show�pain�and�sacrifice�by�using�her�body
as�a�tool.�<Rhythm�10>(1973)�is�a�performance�where�she�grabs�20�knives�of
different�sizes�and�shapes�and�quickly�stabs�on�the�floor�between�her�spread
fingers.�She�recorded�in�a�tape�the�rhythm�created�by�stabbing�with�the
knives.�Through�this�dangerous�act�that�makes�the�viewer�feel�dizzy,�the�artist
tested�the�relationship�between�the�mind�and�body,�while�also�reinterpreting
the�concept�of�rhythm.
Looking�at�the�inner�side�beyond�pain
In�<Rhythm�0>(1974),�the�last�work�of�the�series,�she�became�an�object�along
with�72�other�objects.�The�viewers�could�do�anything�to�her�as�a�displayed
object.�Over�time,�the�viewers�did�severe�treatments�to�her�without
hesitation,�such�as�pricking�her�body�with�rose�thorns,�or�cutting�her�neck
with�a�blade.�Showing�her�bearing�all�kinds�of�pain,�her�performance�was�to
test�the�conscience�of�the�viewers,�and�also�to�represent�pain�and�endurance
of�numerous�women.�
Abramović’s�extremely�fierce�performances�seem�to�convey�pain�even�to�the
viewers;�they�are�not�just�for�directing�severe�situations.�She�ceaselessly
takes�efforts�to�deepen�the�performances,�such�as�learning�meditation�in
Tibet�or�getting�to�know�various�cultures�like�Asian�shamanism.�She�looks
inside�her�through�spiritual�teachings,�and�expresses�enlightenment�found�by
the�teachings�in�intense�performances.�By�acts�surpassing�limitations,�she
contemplates�herself�again�and�erupts�countless�subjects�inside�her�through
her�body.
In�2010,�the�Museum�of�Modern�Art(hereinafter�“MoMA”)�held�a�Marina
Abramović�retrospective�titled�<The�Artist�Is�Present>.�Composed�of�two
chairs�on�which�Abramović�and�a�stranger�were�sitting,�facing�each�other,
this�performance�was�conducted�for�seven�hours�every�day�for�three�months,
for�about�750�hours�in�total.�Staring�into�someone’s�eyes�for�one�minute,
which�can�be�long�or�short�time�depending�on�the�person�who�passes�it,�may
seem�simple,�but�has�a�lot�of�meanings�inside.�Unlike�in�the�previous�painful
performances,�the�artist�wanted�to�send�her�love�and�form�empathy�through
giving�a�glance�to�others.�Thousands�of�viewers�who�came�to�MoMA�lined�up
to�interchange�feelings�with�the�artist;�people�who�sat�in�front�of�her�shed
tears�or�put�on�a�bright�smile,�sharing�various�emotions.
Life�sublimated�by�art
It�is�well�known�that�she�met�Ulay(Uwe�Laysiepen)�during�this�performance,
her�ex-lover�and�partner�in�art.�From�the�late�1970s�to�the�late�1980s,
Abramović�and�Ulay�collaborated�on�so�many�works�that�her�works�during
that�period�cannot�be�explained�without�Ulay.�<From�Relation�in�Space>
(1976),�where�they�dashed�to�each�other�naked�like�two�planets�collide,
mingling�male�and�female�energy,�and�<Imponderabilia>(1977),�where�they,
also�naked,�stood�at�the�narrow�entrance�of�the�exhibition�place�and
contacted�with�the�viewers�entering�the�place,�to�<Rest�Energy>(1980),
where�each�of�them�grabbed�a�bow�and�an�arrow�aimed�at�Abramović’s�heart
and�balanced�depending�on�the�weight�of�each�other,�the�two�artists�shared
many�things�as�partners.�They�also�studied�duplicity�by�a�performance�of
respecting�each�other’s�art�style�and�self,�looking�into�the�insides�of�each
other.�Having�stayed�lovers�and�partners�for�10�years,�Abramović�and�Ulay
ended�their�relationship�with�their�last�performance,�<The�Lovers>(1988),
where�each�of�them�started�from�the�each�end�of�the�Great�Wall�and�met�at
the�middle�after�about�90�days�of�journey.�Turning�their�parting�into�art,�this
performance�not�only�means�special�to�the�two�artists,�but�also�casts
philosophical�questions�to�viewers�about�the�start�and�end�of�a�relationship,
and�the�world�that�we�cannot�but�live�through�alone.�■�with�ARTINPOST
<Cleaning�the�Mirror>(Bloomberg�capture�still)�1995
Yugoslavian�artist�Marina�Abramović,�is�unquestionably�one�of�the�important
artists�who�presents�performance�and�feminism�of�our�time.�For�the�artist,
the�“body”�is�a�subject�and�a�medium.�Exploring�limits�of�the�body�and�mind
through�her�own�body�made�her�a�pioneer�of�performance�since�the�1970s.
For�the�last�four�decades,�Abramović�has�researched�the�relationship
between�the�performer�and�the�audience�through�performances�which
present�the�limited�body�and�the�infinite�possibilities�inside.�So,�she�is�at
times�described�as�the�“Master�of�performance�art.”�
Born�in�1946,�Marina�Abramović,�who�studied�art�at�the�Academy�of�Fine�Arts,
Belgrade�and�the�Academy�of�Fine�Arts,�Zagreb,�is�now�based�in�New�York.
Including�the�recent�exhibition�at�Mona(Museum�of�Old�and�New�Art,
Tasmania,�Australia),�she�has�had�numerous�solo�exhibitions�including
exhibitions�at�Lisson�Gallery,�London,�Serpentine�Gallery,�London,�Museum�of
Modern�Art(MoMA),�NY�and�Centre�Pompidou,�Paris.�Also�participating�in
major�events�such�as�the�Venice�Biennale�and�Kassel�Documenta,�she�is
showing�her�unique�energy�in�the�international�art�scene.
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